Switch-heater cover



w. T.-LAWLOR.I

SWITCH HEATER COVER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-21, @922.

'L' 65. Patented Aug. 1, 1922 WITNESSES l/VI/ENTOR 12 fi z'llaiw/ ZLawoi BY 5 im/Mrs SWITCH-HEATER COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

Application filed J'anuaryZl, 1922. Serial No. 530,927.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVILLIAM T. LAwLoR, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Heater Cpver, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switch heaters of theclass set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,401,798,issued to me on December 27th, 1921. This patent discloses a device inwhich a plurality of oil pans are located between the ties of a railroadunder the rails of a switch mechanism, and in which oil was burned inthe pans to keep the switches open and in working order during heavysnowstorms. This patent also disclosed a plurality of simultaneouslyoperable covers associated with the pans.

The present application relates more specifically to the pan covers, anobject of the invention being to provide a cover which will effectivelyprevent snow or rain from falling into the pan, and at the same timewill permit a burning of oil therein.

A further object is to provide a pan cover of this character, which willbe simple and practical in construction, durable and efficient in use,inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will not interfere in anymanner with the burning of fuel in the pans.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a railway switch showing aportion of my heating apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in rear elevation of one of the pans having myimproved cover thereon; and

Figure 4 is a view in section on the line fl of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I have 7 used the referencenumerals 1, 1 to represent a pair of cross ties, on which a stock rail 2and movable switch point 3 are supported in any well known manner. Afuel supply pipe 4 conveys fuel to a plurality of branch pipes 5 eachleading to an oil pan 6, one of these pans being located between eachpair of ties at each side of the switch mechanism, more fully describedin my previous patent. The pans comprise troughlike body portions intowhich the oil is delivered from the feed pipe, said feed pipespreferably screwing in a threaded socket 7 provided in an extension atthe rear of the pan.

The invention in this case resides particularly in the novel form of thepan cover 8 which is utilized. It will be seen that this cover includesdefining depending flanges 9 fitting over and embracing the pans 6. Thebody of the cover is bowed or of general convex shape, as seen mostclearly in Figures 2 and 3, so that water will drain off of the cover.An extension 10 of the cover fits over the extended portion of the panwherein the socket 7 is formed. A plurality of longitudinally extendingelongated slots 11 are provided in the cover, these slots being soarranged that the upper edges of the same overhang the lower edgesthereof, effectively forming a water shed. It will also be noted inFigure 3 that the cover slopes gradually downward from the bottom of oneslot to the bottom of the next insuring the rapid drainage of water.

Transverse slots 12 formed in the ends of the cover in a similar mannerto the slots 11 cooperate with the slots 11 in providing a freecirculation of air through the pan so that oil may be burned in the panwhile the cover is in place.

These pans are designed for use in keeping the switches open duringheavy snowstorms. With my improved cover ample circulation of air isprovided for burning the fuel. At the same time, the snow which may fallupon the hot top of the pan will be immediately melted and drained offdue to the convex shape of the cover and the peculiar arrangement of theslots hereinbefore noted.

Although I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be apparent that various slight changes andalterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of theparts described without departing from the invention, and hence I do notwish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shallconsider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterationsas fairly fall Within the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

feeding fuel into the pan, a removable cover on the pan having slotstherein, permitting the combustion of fuel in the pan, said cover beingof general convex shape, and the upper edges of said slots overhangingthe lower edges thereof.

At. In a sWi feeding fuel into the pan, a removable cover on the panhaving slots therein, permitting the combustion of fuel in the pan, saidcover being of general convex shape, the upper edges of said slotsoverhanging the lower edges thereof, and said cover including adepending defining flan e.

WILLIATM r. LAWLOR.

tch heater, a pan, means for

